Christmas Miracle
by EFAW
Summary: All he'd wanted was someone to share Christmas with, and if he was lucky, the rest of his life. What he got was a cold, bitter youth who had given up on life. But everyone knows that Christmas is a time of miracles... AU, Oneshot.


This story has been revised and edited. All of the misspelled words and punctuation have been fixed.   
This is my story. Warning: There is shounen-ai, so you don't like, you don't read, capise? And if any characters are OOC, that was deliberate and planned out, and you can't get mad at me for it anyway, cause this is an AU ficcy. So there, all you OOC haters! 

Sorry, had to get that out. Anyway, I don't own Gundam Wing. It's a wonderful series and I love it, but it's not mine. So, that done, here's the story, and I hope you enjoy it!

**OOOO**

**Christmas Miracle**

With a sigh, he ran his brush through his hair, reveling in the silky feel. It was the closest thing to intimacy he had right now. Quatre was out with his boyfriend, and there was no one else except the annoyingly loud Asian across the hall. With another, dejected sigh, Duo let the brush drop from his hands and made his way out of his bedroom and into the kitchen.

Another Christmas alone. Joy. Just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that…for almost six years, ever since his mother had died, he had spent Christmas alone. He had pretty much become a recluse, though he still kept up a smiling mask when he went outside and cavorted with other people. Helen Maxwell had always loved to see him smile, so he kept smiling for her.

It hadn't been so bad when he had moved in with Quatre, because his roommate was a bright, cheerful youth who was fun to be around. But last year, despite all the plans they had made, he couldn't get out of family obligations, and this year, he had dragged Trowa to the Winner Christmas Dinner.

"What does it matter?" Duo asked out loud, reaching into the fridge for a soda. "I like being alone, don't I? I've got no problem with being the only one around." He popped the cap off using the side of the counter, and even though he knew that the chip in the nice faux marble would annoy Quatre, he didn't care. Gripping the slim neck of the glass bottle, he stepped over several cardboard boxes into the living room.

Plopping down onto the couch, he leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. A brief swig of the soda made him wince, wondering why he had grabbed the sickly sweet sticky drink. Too bad he was still a minor, still just nineteen. Otherwise, he probably would be drinking right now. He set the bottle on the side table by the couch, no longer thirsty.

The apartment was decorated well, he had to give credit to that. It wasn't very religiously decorated, no little nativity sets or anything, but there was a small tree, and tinsel decorated the walls. From the outside, his place looked bare, compared to his neighbors on either side, both of who were Christmastime fanatics, but, again, he really didn't care. After all, it wasn't like he was going to celebrate or anything, right?

Sure, there were a couple of presents. Quatre had bought him something, and there was a second wrapped present under the tree, though that one didn't have a person to go to. Duo would almost bet his life that Quatre was just a little bit psychic. It was in the way that, more often than not, he was at the door before the doorbell even rang, or he could almost always tell how people were feeling just by looking at them. And the second present, too. Almost like Quatre was expecting Duo to have someone over for Christmas, and had forgotten a present. That was silly, of course. Duo had no one to come over, except, as before mentioned, the Asian across the hall. Not that he would ask Wufei. The man bore a grudge to Duo, ever since he had accidentally slipped and spilled that can of green paint on him in art two years ago…

Even Trowa had gotten him something. And Trowa's sister, Catherine. Maybe they were all feeling sorry for him…probably. They knew he didn't have anyone, so they got him something. That didn't explain why Relena and Hilde from next door had gotten him something too, since he rarely, if ever, spoke to them, and that was only a small 'Hi' when they passed in the hall, but who cared why they did it?

But anyway, the presents were all wrapped and placed under the tree, and Quatre had made him swear not to open them before the last chime of midnight faded away. Duo had laughed and crossed his heart, but as he now stared at them, he wanted to open them, just to see what kind of pity gift the others had gotten him. And it was only nine-thirty, too. What luck. He had to wait for more than two hours to finally see them.

A loud grumble from his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten since last night's dinner. More often than not, he gorged himself, but that was only when he was out with Quatre, and he had to keep up appearances. The truth was, eating bored him, and he hated being bored. He wasn't suicidal, but he did put food on a back burner, except for times like now, when his body boldly declared he get it some. Muttering under his breath, he pushed himself off the couch, grabbing the soda bottle as an afterthought and heading back towards the kitchen.

Pouring the rest of the carbonated drink down the sink, he washed the bottle out and put it on the sill to dry, knowing Trowa's hobby of making wind chimes out of anything that sounded pretty. Already, six bottles were stacked there for Quatre to give to the brunette. Turning back to the fridge, he opened the door and started going through it, passing over many things, and finally deciding on a yogurt to ease his appetite.

"Maybe I'll go out," he muttered to the small feline that had just woken up. The blonde tabby stretched, yawning, then stared up at him with sharp blue eyes, almost like ice in their color. She was an odd cat, with a pale golden fur, and the fur on her ears split at the ends into two different strands.

"Lonie, do you think I should go out?" he asked softly, reaching out for the cat. As the feline purred and flowed under his hand, he mused on when they had named her.

"_I think Dorothy is an adorable name," Quatre pouted, the blonde kitten cradled against his chest._

'_Yes,' Duo thought, 'for a dog toting, red-slippered girl.' "But that cat doesn't looked like a Dorothy!" he said. "She looks more like, like a Catalonia."_

"_Catalonia?" Quatre asked, one eyebrow raised slightly._

"_Yeah, Catalonia. You know, like Cat-alonia!"_

_Quatre had just rolled his eyes. "How about Dorothy Catalonia?"_

"_And Lonie for short! That's perfect! You're a genius, Quat!"_

"I still don't think you look like a Dorothy, but who am I to argue with Quatre?" Duo asked the purring creature under his hand. The cat just butted his hand, pushing it away. He stared at her in surprise as she streaked for the door, and he followed. "So you do think I should go out, huh?" The cat just stared at him. "Alright, alright, I'll go out. Let me just grab my jacket."

He made his way through the decoration-strewn living room to his bedroom. Setting his unopened yogurt on his desk, he started going through the clothing on the floor, methodically searching for his favorite black jacket. It was snowing, and if he didn't wear it, he knew he would be soaked through by the time he got back, even if it was just a walk in the park.

"Ah hah!" he shouted proudly, pulling the half-buried jacket out from the dirty clothes. He slipped it on, staring down at the pile in disgust. "I need to wash those," he muttered, leaving the room, grabbing the yogurt on the way out. It would just get forgotten and go bad if he left it there.

For the third time less than half an hour, he went into the kitchen, sticking the yogurt back in the fridge. He was halfway to the front door, where his cat lounged, waiting for him so she could try another peek to the hallway outside, when he heard a sound that made him stop. Turning, he stared down the hallway, past his bedroom and at the closed door that also led to the outside.

"Thump?" he muttered curiously, making his way towards the back door. In an easily practiced move, he scooped Dorothy up as she flashed towards the door, and, ignoring her squirms, opened the plain door, staring in surprise at what he found.

Prussian blue eyes stared up at him angrily from the snow-covered doorstep. Everything his eyes were silently saying forbade Duo from kneeling down and helping him up, but the rest of his body seemed to contradict that largely. His whole body was shivering, not surprising, since all he was wearing was a pair of faded yellow sneakers, a green tank top, and a pair of black shorts. His lips were blue, and his skin was pale, making his untidy brown hair stand out darkly against his flesh.

"Holy crap," Duo said softly, bending down by the young man. He couldn't have been any older than him, maybe twenty if he stretched it, though it didn't seem likely. "Are you alright?" He disposed of the cat back inside, reaching out to feel the young man's pulse. If it was still strong, it wouldn't be as hard to revive him as if his pulse was, say, really slow.

"Don't," a harsh voice hissed, and a slender, slightly calloused hand gripped his wrist. Violet eyes turned back and met blue, oceanic orbs swimming with such a mix of emotions it was hard to see anything specific. The rest of his face, though, was a cold mask, not revealing anything.

"Look, buddy, if you don't get warm, you're gonna freeze to death. At least let me go so I can bring you inside."

The hand didn't release him, instead tightening his grip. "I'd rather _die_ than get help from _you_," the man hissed, glaring at Duo. Any vestige of emotion was now wiped from his eyes, and Duo marveled at the way he could slip his mask on so quickly, even over 'the windows to the soul.'

His musings were cut short, though, as the grip tightened even more, a spasm wracking the body of the man below him. He winced, prying strong, but cold and numbing fingers from his arm. "Look, I don't know what problem you might have with me, but if you don't want my help, I can get Wufei across the hall. He's loud, but he's got an unflaggering sense of justice and self-preservation. He can help you." He started to stand.

He was yanked back down by a grip on his jacket collar. "Don't you _dare_," that harsh voice hissed again. Blue bored into violet, utterly forbidding it.

"Holy—what is your problem? You're going to die if you don't get help!" Prussian stared back, and the young man's eyes widened marginally at the words, and his mouth opened partly, as if he was stunned. Duo wondered what made that happen. It was the first emotion he had seen on his face at all, so far. Then his mask slipped back into place.

"My _problem_," he hissed, "is that I'm surrounded by people who pretend they care, and don't. I am going to die before midnight, and if you stop me, I will kill you." He released Duo's collar as another spasm hit him, making him gasp out.

"My god," Duo whispered, staring down at him. "You're suicidal."

"Finally," the boy whispered. "It took you long enough to figure it out." He stared up at the chestnut-haired man, unconsciously twining a long strand around his fingers. Neither of the males noticed.

"Well, if you're going to die, please don't do it on my back doorstep." Duo's words were laced with ice, and his kind attitude had suddenly turned cold. He couldn't imagine why anyone would willingly want to die, and he disapproved of anyone who did. "Do what you want," he stated cruelly, standing up, then cursing sharply as he felt a yank on his hair.

"What the hell-?" He turned, glaring down at the man. Then his gaze softened, and he knelt back down, gently untangling his hair from the unconscious stranger's hand. He chewed on his lip as he stared at the pale face, chest shallowly rising and falling as his cold lungs tried to bring in full breaths of air.

"Dammit!" He shouted, looking up at the sky. He hated being a naturally kind person. He just couldn't turn down someone in trouble, whether they wanted help or not. Easily, he picked up the other man, his eyes widening at the guy's weight.

"How much do you eat?" he asked incredulously. "Do you ever get a full meal? You feel light as Lonie!" Slowly opening the door, blocking the cat's escape with his foot, he maneuvered his way inside, making sure not to bump the stranger's head against the doorframe.

"Now," he wondered aloud, staring first at the man, then at his cat. "How are we going to warm him up?"

XXXX 

Slowly, Heero's eyes opened to stare up at a plain white ceiling. An immediate panic ensued in, but faded when he realized that it was not, in fact, a bed he was lying in, but a bathtub. And he was still wearing his own clothing, even his socks, though his shoes had been taken off. Groaning slightly, he gripped the sides of the tub with trembling arms, pulling his body halfway over the side and retching violently. He hadn't eaten in several days, so there was nothing for him to bring up but a little bit of bile onto the pale tiles.

"Hey, it's alright," a soft, vaguely familiar voice murmured. A comforting hand was placed on his wet back, and a glass of water was brought to his lips. He forced the water down, and, almost immediately, brought it back up again, this time into a bag-lined trashcan pushed into his hands. The voice continued to murmur soothingly while he continued to bring up the water.

When he was finally done, he went limp, and would have collapsed into the water of the bathtub if it weren't for two firm hands gripping his shoulders. He looked up into the stranger's face, the violet eyes and long hair bringing a faint memory of the snow-covered doorstep, and his argument with the man. "Why?" he whispered, the words barely passing chapped lips.

A smile lit up on the man's face, a sad smile that didn't seem to belong there. "Because no one should have to die alone," he murmured. "No one should especially ever have to die alone on Christmas Eve."

"Christmas…Eve?"

"Yeah." The man laughed brightly, pulling Heero into a sitting position against the back of the tub. "It's only been an hour since I brought you inside. Man, I'm glad Quatre comes from a rich family; otherwise we never would have been able to afford an apartment with a bathtub. Though he's probably going to be pissed when he sees the hot water bills." He moved back to where he had been previously sitting on the toilet lid, lifting up a half-eaten yogurt and going back to it.

Since it was obvious he wasn't going to be moving for a while, considering the stranger's hawk gaze on him, he settled back in the tub, wincing as the warm water sloshed violently over the side. He hadn't thought he had moved that much…

"Hey it's alright," the strange man said brightly, quickly mopping it up with a towel. "Don't worry about it. You're movements'll be a little extreme until you get back the feeling in your muscles again. I'm gonna leave you now, so you can just take a bath, or clean up, or whatever. I left a change of clothes on the floor by the door, too, if you want that. There's soaps and stuff by your left hand, and the towels are behind your head. Have fun!" Collecting his yogurt and spoon, he left, closing the door behind him and leaving Heero alone in the bathroom.

The first thing the nineteen-year-old did was step out of the tub, this time ignoring the water he splashed on the floor, and lurch over to the medicine cabinet. Opening the mirrored door, he stared. It was empty.

"Of course," he muttered, dropping his hand. "He wasn't going to leave a suicidal person alone in a room where pills and razors are readily available." The teen turned and leaned against the wall, staring at the tub. Another idea hit him, but this one he was more reluctant to try. He had always thought that he deserved as much suffering as possible when he died, which was why he tended to avoid overdosing and drowning. It was over too quickly, and there was no pain, and little consciousness during the process. But if it was the only option…

Quickly, he made his way back to the tub, slipping into the water. Gripping the porcelain sides, he took a deep breath, and then slowly lowered his head under the water. He gradually started to release the breath his lungs held, forcing his arms to lock and restraining his body from pulling into the air as his lungs began to burn. His vision was starting to go black, and he felt the first traces of water entering his lungs, felt an amazing sense of amazement. He couldn't believe it. It was actually going to work. This time, he would be able to kill himself, and no one would stop him.

But…what about _him_? What about the violet-eyed stranger who had helped him? The pale hands gripping the tub sides started to tremble, and though he still didn't pull himself from the water, he closed his eyes, trying to force a picture of the bright-eyed youth from his mind. He couldn't. All he could do was imagine those lovely eyes saddened again as he came back and found Heero dead, even after all he had done to save him. And Heero realized that for the first time, he didn't want to make the other sad.

A thread of something both cold and hot at once flashed through his body, making him sit up and gasp, choking as he threw up the water in his lungs. In silence, Heero stared at his shaking hands. Why didn't he want to violet-eyed stranger sad? Why did he care? And…why did it matter so much to him if the other man was sad?

XXXX 

Duo winced as Dorothy continued to stare levelly at him. "Just stop," he whined at the blonde feline, wincing again as she didn't move. "I know you and Quatre would disapprove of me just leaving him in a bathtub full of water, but I'm not going to just watch as he strips and cleans himself up. That'd be rude! Besides, I trust him. He's not going to do anything to himself." He winked at the cat. "I can see it in his eyes, even if he doesn't realize it's there."

He gathered up the tray of food and picked his way through the living room to the bathroom door. Carefully balancing the tray in one hand, he knocked on the door. "Mr Blue-Eyes? Can I come in? I brought food."

Startled, Heero ducked up to his neck in the water. He wasn't even undressed yet, for Pete's sake! Why should it matter to him whether the brunette stranger saw him, still sitting in the same place in the now lukewarm water? Forcing himself to calm down, he slid his cold mask on once again and bitterly said, "It's your place. You don't have to ask."

"I know," the voice responded from the other side of the door. "But still, I don't want to just barge in on you. I'm a nice guy like that."

Prussian blue eyes rolled, and he shook his head slightly. "Whatever. Come on in." The door clicked open, and he saw surprise on the teen's face at his position, before that was quickly wiped away by a bright smile. He held out the tray.

"It's not much, just a couple of turkey and mayo sandwiches, but I thought you might like a couple. You're too skinny for your own good."

Heero carefully masked his surprise with bitter coldness. "I don't want your charity."

Violet eyes regarded him fully. "I figured as much. You seem like a pretty prideful bastard. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to help. And if you don't like it that much, don't think of it is charity. Think of it as one friend helping another."

"I'm not your friend. I don't even know your name. You're a complete stranger to me, and I to you."

"I'm Duo Maxwell. And what's your name?"

"Heero Yuy." The name slipped out before he could stop it, and he bit his tongue behind his closed lips, cursing his body's disobedience. He hadn't wanted to give his name out to _anyone_! Damn this Duo and his ability to make him talk. He hated talking. If he talked, people thought they could pry into his life, and he couldn't take that. He didn't want to take it. He stared at the other, preparing himself for the questions he knew were sure to come.

Instead…"See?" The longhaired man said brightly. "We aren't strangers. We just met. You know me now, and I know you. So now, you can consider it a gift from one friend to another."

"I still don't want your help."

"Doesn't matter," Duo answered brightly, setting the tray on the toilet lid. Without warning, he reaching into the water in front of Heero, ignoring the slight, frightened gasp as Heero jerked away from his arm. He withdrew his hand, wiping it on a dark pink towel. "You shouldn't sit in a cold tub." He remarked blandly as the water swirled down the drain between Heero's legs. "You'll get sick, you see. And I really would recommend getting changed, for the above reason." He moved to the door. "I'll be in the living room, if you want to join me. It's not hard to find. Just turn left in the hallway and follow the explosions as I watch a cheesy action movie." Once more, he left, leaving Heero staring at the closed door.

With a sigh, Duo flopped onto the couch, wishing there was a way he could hit his head against the wall while staying seated. Dorothy jumped up onto his lap and settled, purring. Absently, he started to pet her, musing at his stupidity.

"Lonie, I really shouldn't have done that," he muttered to the blonde cat. "I mean, when I reached into the water, he looked like I was going to rape him or something. I was just unplugging the drain! It really isn't good for a person to sit in a cold tub for too long. But…I don't know, maybe I should have just left him in the snow. He would have died happy, and I would have spent another Christmas alone, but hey, who cares about me, right? He hates me, and he'll probably leave anyway." He looked down at the cat. "You won't leave me, will you, Lonie? You won't make me spend Christmas alone again, will you? Even a cat is better than no one around."

The cat just continued to purr, not answering his pleas.

XXXX 

After a minute of contemplation, he decided the bright-eyed man was right, and he would get sick if he didn't change. With a sigh, Heero stripped of his meager garments, wincing painfully as he drew his tank top up over many bruises and scars on his chest and back. He toweled off, careful of his injuries, and then quickly slipped into the all black ensemble that had been set out for him.

Softly, he opened the door, creeping down the short hall, wet clothes in hand, where he heard a soft voice talking. Biting his lip, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to offer. Then he stepped into the living room, his sneakered feet tapping lightly on the hardwood floor.

It matched Duo's personality. It was kind of odd. Someone had tried to make it look nice, with a pretty beige couch and nice cherry wood cabinets of books, but it had been refined to fit Duo. Several shelves of books had been cleared in the center of the cabinets, a TV set in the middle of it. In front of the TV, sitting happily on the floor, were several game consoles, games scattered around it, and collected in boxes. English translated manga sat side by side with novels on the bookshelves, and paper comics and food wrappers were scattered on the floor. Duo himself was sitting on the couch, braiding his long hair and scanning him from head to foot. One eyebrow rose slightly when he saw Heero's faded yellow sneakers on his feet, but he said nothing, just moved over and offered one end of the couch. Taking another deep breath, Heero sat down, the long sleeved-shirt and pants feeling odd against his body. He wasn't used to them…his eyes picked a spot on the far wall, and he spoke quietly.

"I suppose I should thank you for saving my life," he said, silently adding, _'No matter how worthless I think it is.'_ He tried to calm himself, clasping his hands together and setting them in his lap, trying to hide that they were shaking. "What do you want?" he asked before he could change his mind.

"Eh?" Duo asked, surprised. "What do I want? What do you mean?"

"What do you want for saving my life? If I can give it, I will."

Duo thought about it, neatly tying his braid, then he stared at Heero, who was pointedly not looking at him. "I want a night of your life."

"Alright," Heero said, feeling like he was about to cry. And here he had thought that Duo was different, that he wasn't like all those other bastards who just wanted to use him. But if didn't matter, he had said he would give what Duo wanted if he had it, and he certainly had a night. "Alright," he said again, "if that's what you want."

"Yay!" Duo said brightly, standing up and dislodging the yellow cat in his lap. "Then we have to go shopping!"

"What?" Heero's head whipped around, and he stared in shock at the other man, who was bouncing on his feet like an eager child. "Shopping?"

"Yup!" Duo said brightly, unaware of the thoughts flitting through the blue-eyed boy's mind. "If you're gonna spend Christmas with me, we need to get you something, because it's no fun opening presents in the morning if there's someone else who doesn't have any. So let's go!" He bounced over to the front door, sitting down and putting his shoes on, chatting happily away, while Heero continued to stare at him.

'_He just wants me to spend Christmas with him…as Christmas? And here I thought we was going to sleep with me. But maybe I should have suspected that was what he was thinking, considering what I've seen of his personality.'_ Heero smiled to himself, shaking his head. "I'm coming," he called to Duo's excited calls. Pushing himself up off the couch, he joined the other man at the door.

XXXX 

An hour later, Duo had three bags in his hands, and Heero followed behind as the other man pranced from window to window, now no longer shopping, just peering at the Christmas displays. For once, Heero felt…well, not _happy_, per sey, but at least he wasn't afraid that Duo just wanted to have his way with him. For once, he thought he was having fun. He couldn't remember when he had felt like this, except in vague memories that, for all he knew, were dreams he had made up.

Falling out of his thoughts, he looked up, seeing Duo several stores down the sidewalk. He started towards the other man, unaware to the man behind him until he was right there. By then, it was too late. A hand gripped his wrist, and fear flitted across his face as he was roughly yanked ahead.

"You're late, boy. This isn't going to be pleasant," the man gripping his wrist growled, glaring at the blue-eyed teen.

XXXX 

Duo turned away from the window, looking behind him for Heero. The cold man had a tendency to fall behind as he flitted all over, Duo had noticed. But, oddly enough, Heero wasn't seen, which was unusual, for there weren't that many people out as tall as the other boy. Frowning slightly, Duo started back down the sidewalk, searching for his Christmas companion.

And he wasn't there. Twice he went up and down the block, and Duo still couldn't find Heero. Now he was worried. Biting his lip, he decided to try one more time. He dodged and wove his way down the street, searching left and right, this time checking alleyways too, in case the other man had decided to take a break where it wasn't so crowded.

The third alley he tried hit pay. Only it wasn't something he had been expecting. A creepy guy with grey hair and an odd metal hand had Heero on his knees, back to the wall, wrists pinned above him, and was repeatedly slapping him, telling the teen something that Duo couldn't hear. It appeared to have quite the affect on Heero, though, because the other man was silently crying, eyes shut tight against both the pain and his own tears.

Enraged, Duo placed his bags against a wall of the alley and stalked up behind the old man, putting a hand on his shoulder. The hand turned, glaring at him behind dark glasses.

"What are you doing to him?" Duo asked, his voice dangerous. Heero jerked at the voice, shaking his head no at the Duo, trying to make him leave. Duo ignored him and, glaring daggers at the older man, repeated his quested, his voice like ice. "What are you doing?"

"He's mine," the man snarled, shaking a fist at Duo. "I can do what I want to him."

Duo smiled, not his pleasant smile, but one more suited to a cat stalking its prey. "That's funny. I could have sworn he was with me tonight. You don't mind if I take him back, do you?" His words, though light, held a deadly undertone.

The old man's face barely changed, and he just looked down at Heero in contempt, the young man's wrists still pinned. "Fine," he snarled, throwing the teen at Duo. "Take him. He's useless anyway." He turned, stalking out of the alley, glaring back once at Duo before he turned the corner.

Frantic, Duo knelt down beside Heero. "My god, what happened? You were right behind me, and then you disappeared! And who was he? That freak acted like he owned you or something."

"He does," Heero whispered, reaching up to gingerly feel his already bruising cheek. "He owns my life. Though I don't know why he slapped my cheek. Usually he does it where it's not visible. It's harder to sell damaged goods, after all." He winced as he pressed the painful flesh.

"You're coming back with me," Duo stated, staring at the purpleing skin. "You can tell me and I can try to help, or you could decide not to tell me and I'll try to help blind. It's up to you. But first, let's go back to my apartment. I want to look at that wound and make sure it doesn't get infected. It's bleeding, you know."

XXXX 

Heero sat still while Duo applied the disinfectant to the small bleeding cut, and then a white bandage. Then, without even bothering to put the first aid kit away, he sat on the other end of the couch, watching Heero.

"So," he asked, "are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to help with nothing to work with?"

"Why?" Heero asked, his voice just above a whisper. "Why do you want to help?"

"Two reasons," Duo answered. "One: I hate pricks like that who claim they own a person and so what they want with them. And two: you're my friend, Heero. Even though we've known each other for, what, two, two and a half hours? Despite that, I feel closer to you than to people I've known for years. I don't want to see you hurt."

"Really?" Heero whispered, his voice wavering slightly, his eyes begging that Duo wasn't lying.

Duo placed one hand gently on Heero's shoulder. "Really. I want to help." He looked him in the eye. "So, will you tell me?"

Heero nodded, lowering his eyes to the blonde cat in his lap. "His name is Dr. J. At least, that's what he calls himself. I don't know whether it's his real name, and, frankly, I don't care. Basically, he's my master. My parents were bastards who didn't want me, and they sold me when J came and offered a price. When I turned ten, I was put to work. I've pretty much been his servant for nine years now, and I'm not going to get away from him until I become legal."

"What…kind of work?" Duo asked cautiously, seeing, despite Heero's mask, how much it pained Heero to talk about this. He was right, too, when Heero suddenly became cold.

"He rents pretty little boys to anyone who can afford it," he answered bitterly. "Why else do you think I was wearing shorts and a tank top in the middle of winter? Not because I wanted to, that's for sure."

"Holy…you mean he sells prostitutes?"

Heero shrugged. "I guess that's what you'd call them. We're just Dr. J's little boys. Thank god I'm twenty-one soon. I can bear another two years of him, and then I'm free. If I don't run away and kill myself, that is. By the way, you need to pay him tomorrow when you bring me back."

"What? Why?"

Heero gazed levelly at him. "Do you really think that J would have let me go so easily? He thinks you brought me home to sleep with you. Why else would you want to bring a slut like me into your home? If you don't pay him…oh boy, he will not be happy. Not happy at all." He sat back, staring up at the ceiling, avoiding Duo's gaze. He didn't want he violet-eyed man to see how much hate he held for himself.

"How long do I have?" Duo asked

"Twenty-four hours until he expects me back, so eleven-thirty Christmas Day. Until then, you get to do what you want to me. That's the rule."

"Oh, good. Quatre and Trowa will be back by eight tomorrow morning. By the way, would J sell you again?"

Emotionlessly, Heero answered, "If someone gave him a check with enough zeros, he would sell his whole collection of boys."

"Alright then, that'll do. Now, I want you to take these, and just settle down, alright?" Duo poured two white pills into his hand, and grabbed a half-full bottle of water by the couch.

Heero sat up, alarmed. "What are those?" he asked, staring at the pills. He had been drugged before, and he didn't want to be drugged again. Not that he had a choice in the matter, but he'd still rather not have pills shoved down his throat.

"What? Why?" Duo glanced at Heero. "…oh. No, don't worry. They're just sleeping pills. You don't look like you've slept in a couple days, and these will give you a good night's sleep. And since the bottle says a serving lasts eight hours, by the time you wake up, my friends'll be here, and we can…all spend Christmas together." Duo decided that, for now, it would be better if he didn't spill his plan to Heero, not until he had talked to Quatre about it.

"Promise me," Heero said, making no move for the pills. "Promise me that if I take those, you won't touch me. Please."

"I promise, Heero. I may be an idiot, but I don't lie."

Blue eyes flitted up and searched his face for any sign that he wouldn't be true to his word. Finding nothing, he reached out for the two pills. After a small hesitation, he popped them into his mouth, downing them with the water. Duo smiled and got up to get a pillow and a spare blanket for the couch.

When he came back, the pills were already starting to take affect. Heero's eyelids were dropping, and he was making an obvious effort to stay awake. Duo just gave him the pillow and blanket, turning away from the couch with a small, "Good night."

"Remember," Heero whispered, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders. The words were just soft enough to pass by Duo. "Remember…you promised…"

Then the pills did their job, and he dropped into a dreamless, welcome sleep.

XXXX 

When his consciousness came back, it was because of two things: soft voices in the kitchen which he couldn't make out yet, and the smell of food. His stomach grumbled angrily at him, rebuking him for refusing Duo's sandwiches last night, and he pushed the sleepy haze away from his mind, forcing himself to sit up. His original clothes were now dry, slightly wrinkled from drying on the floor, but dry nonetheless. Quickly, he slipped out of Duo's borrowed clothes and into his own, then he silently padded to the entry of the kitchen.

"So, Quat, will you help me?" Duo's voice asked.

A soft, kind voice answered. "From what you've told me, this J's a real possessive freak, right?"

"If you had been there last night, you wouldn't even be questioning it. He sells him like he's just a toy!"

"Duo, you know me. If I can help, I will. But what can I do?"

"Ah! This is where it's good that I know a Winner. Winners are rich."

"So…?"

"I believe Heero's exact words were, "If someone gave him a check with enough zeros, he would sell his whole collection.""

"Oh," the soft voice murmured. Then, "Oh!"

Heero could almost see Duo smiling. "Now you get it." Too bad Heero had no idea what they were talking about. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the kitchen, standing awkwardly by the doorway.

The blond saw him first, aquamarine eyes meeting his sadly. Then it was the tall brunette who was cooking toast and eggs. Last to realize he was there was Duo, who's back was to the door. But he turned around, and bounded up when he saw Heero.

"Heero! You're awake!" He took a step forward, then looked disapprovingly at Heero's outfit. "You're wearing that?"

"I folded your clothes. They're on the couch." Heero pointed over his shoulder at the other room.

A soft laugh sounded. "I don't think that's what he meant," that soft voice said, coming from the blue-eyed man at the table. The blond stood up, holding out a hand. "We haven't met. I'm Quatre Rebarba Winner. And that's Trowa Barton." The brunette nodded slightly, otherwise ignoring them.

Heero shook the small hand briefly, then stepped back. "I'd better go. I don't want to…impose. I just…thought you should know…"

Duo gripped his wrist, pulling him back into the kitchen and to the table. "No, no, no, you can't leave yet. Trowa's making eggs! Trowa's eggs are really good! Quatre burns water and my specialties are microwaveable dinners, bowls of cereal and turkey sandwiches. You can't leave before you try some of Trowa's eggs!"

"My cooking isn't that bad," Quatre said in mock anger. "Remember when you tried to make macaroni and cheese? And how the noodles were burned? At least mine were edible."

"Did you taste the noodles you cooked, or were you completely out of it? They were nasty! You know, if you think your cooking is that great, then I'll take Trowa, because I know I can't cook. I need someone who can cook, and Trowa's right there."

"Sorry," Quatre said sweetly, "he's taken. You'll have to find someone else. I'm not giving him up."

Throughout this all, Trowa started serving plates, like he hadn't heard a word.

Heero watched in fascinated amusement as the two friends played. Although he didn't know why a flicker of pain had hit him when Duo had said that thing about taking Trowa. It was almost like he didn't want Duo taken. Not that it mattered. He would be returned to the center, and he'd never see Duo again. But this was almost like the time before, with Odin…

Giving his head a shake, he quietly picked up his fork, taking a small bite of the eggs. Trowa had sat down and started eating, his attention focused fully on his food, and Duo and Quatre were still bickering friendly between bites and not paying him attention, so he ate as fast as he dared, without seeming rude. It really was good, and he hadn't eaten in over a day. He was really, really ravenous.

Thirty minutes later, the meal was done, and they left the apartment, locking it behind them. Silently, Heero took the lead, knowing the way to the center. They didn't. Each step, he felt a growing sense of dread, knowing he would get punished for running away yesterday, but he couldn't lag. It would just be better to get back, and have the other three leave, and he would forget them from his mind. Then it wouldn't hurt so much.

Finally, they came to the center, a plain, dark grey building in the shadier parts of town. The black door had a bright orange J splashed on it, a sign for any who knew what they were looking for. Taking a deep, rattling breath, he opened the door, letting the others in before going in himself.

Behind the desk in the pale green room, the receptionist sat. One of the few females in the place, she glanced up, then quickly dialed something on her phone, talking into the receiver before quickly putting it back down. Not five minutes later, J walked out of his office down the hall and made his way towards them. Unconsciously, Heero slipped his blank mask on, missing Duo's look of worry at the action.

"Go to my office," the grey-haired told Heero sharply. "Wait for me there."

Nine years of training took over, and he automatically started to move, stopped only by a grip on his wrist. This one was different, stronger than Duo's grasp, and blue eyes followed the hand up the arm to see Trowa's face staring down at his own. Only one emerald eye was visible, but it showed a warning not to go when he was let go. Trowa released his wrist, and Heero obeyed the silent command, staying where he was.

"What are you waiting for?" J asked severely, glaring at Heero. "Go now!"

Again, he started to move, and again he was caught and held. This time, Trowa didn't release his wrist, instead just gently pulling him back.

"What is the meaning of this?" J asked, on the verge of shouting. "Let him go! Now!"

"No," Duo said smugly, folding his arms over his chest.

"Dr. J? I have a proposition for you," Quatre said, stepping forward.

Behind dark glasses, J's eyes scanned him, his face twisting in disgust at the nerve of this _child_. "And who the hell are _you_? It's going to cost you extra if you all joined in."

Heero winced at the words, and his hand, still caught in Trowa's, started to shake. Oh man, was he going to get punished when they let him go.

"My name," the blond said regally, "is Quatre Rebarba Winner. Surely you've heard of my family, at least? Like I said, I have a proposition for you."

J's eyes twinkled greedily. "Please, come into my office." He turned down the hall, beckoning for Quatre to follow. Duo whispered to Trowa, "Take care of him," before following the two and disappearing into J's office.

They would have sat if it weren't for the fact that there were no chairs in the reception area. After all, this wasn't the kind of place where one would be left waiting. Trowa kept a firm grip on Heero's wrist, but leaned against the wall. Heero just continued to stand still, his cold mask on, staring at the floor.

Five minutes later, Duo and Quatre walked out of the office, looking all the professional. They exited the building, and Trowa pulled Heero out with him. Duo and Quatre were talking outside when they came up.

"Can you believe it?" Duo asked, shaking his head. "He took it at four zeros. I can't believe it."

"I would have added more if he had asked," Quatre said, shrugging.

Duo put him in a headlock, giving him a quick hug. "Of course you would, Quat. That's why I'm so surprised. He could have asked for higher, but he didn't. I mean, you are a Winner, after all." He released the blond, shaking his head once more. "Greedy, cheap prick."

"It went well, then?" Trowa asked, coming up behind them.

"Hell yeah! It's all done now!" Duo pumped a fist in the air, stopping the motion as he saw an ice-cream cart. "Hey, Quat, can you spot me ten bucks?"

The blond rolled his eyes. "Sure. Have fun." He tossed a bill at the braided boy, watching in amusement as the other bounced over to the cart.

"He'll be wired for hours, you know that, right?" Trowa asked blandly. "And how do you know J won't go back on his word?"

Quatre smirked. "I've got it in writing." He pulled a thin packet of paper out of his pocket. "A whole contract. He tries to go against his word, he'll have a team of the city's best lawyers suing him. He knows it, too."

Duo bounced back up, a double scoop cone in one hand and the change in his other. He handed the change back to Quatre. "Thanks, buddy." He looked at Trowa. "You could let him go, you know," he said, taking a bite of his ice-cream. "Or are you going for the silent type, now? Isn't Quatre good enough?"

"Close your mouth, Maxwell. No one wants to see your food. And he'll just try to go back if I let him go."

The violet-eyed man looked back and forth between his two friends. "What, you didn't tell him? Why?"

Quatre shrugged. "We thought you should do it, Duo. You're the one who did this. You should tell him yourself."

"Oh. Okay." Duo took another bite, then bounced over to Heero, ducking to make eye contact. "Do you have any idea what we were doing in there?" he asked, eyes wide and innocent.

"No," Heero said shortly, face blank. He didn't want to think of what they were doing. He didn't care. He just wanted them to go away and leave him alone so the hurt in his chest would disappear.

Another bite of ice-cream was swallowed quickly. "Well, I'll tell you. We bought you from J."

Prussian eyes looked up in shock. "What?"

Duo looked at his friends. "Did I stutter? I didn't stutter, did I?" He looked back at Heero. "We bought you from J. You are no longer in that perverted freak's service. You. Are. Free."

"Why?"

Duo's face lit up. "Because I wuv you!" He flung his arms around Heero's neck, and Trowa and Quatre looked on, smiles on their faces. Trowa finally released Heero's wrist, going over to stand by his boyfriend.

For a minute, the two embraced. Then, quietly, Heero asked, "Duo? Can you stop hugging me now?"

Violet eyes blinked in confusion, and he pulled back a little. "Huh? Why?"

"Because chocolate ice-cream is going down my neck."

XXXX 

A week later, Heero stared down at the blue-and-white crane quilt on the bed. It had seemed like a good idea when they had talked about it, but now that he was doing this, he wasn't sure. He turned to Trowa beside him.

"Are you sure it's alright?" he asked hesitantly.

One emerald eye glinted. "Of course it is. Try it. I'm sure you like it. I won't mind."

Silently, Heero sat on the bed, bouncing slightly. "It is nice," he said, almost in surprise.

The brunette shrugged. "Well, we aren't as rich as Quatre, but we can still afford a nice bed."

Again, Heero looked up at him. "Look, are you absolutely _sure_ it's all right for me to move in? I don't want to impose…"

"How many times have we told you, Heero? It's no problem. My sister is ecstatic that we're getting a third roommate, and Duo's just happy that you aren't left alone. He's still afraid you're going to take a knife to your wrist the first chance you get. They're coming over in fifteen minutes or, so, too, so get settled, alright? This is your room now." He quietly padded out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen to prepare a light afternoon snack.

"Hah," Heero muttered under his breath, getting up and kicking his duffel under the bed. "Shows what he knows. I wouldn't slit my wrists, I'd jump off a building. Impact hurts more."

"Now, I'm sure that Duo wouldn't be happy to hear that, you know," a female voice said brightly. Heero looked up, seeing a pretty, brown-haired girl standing in the doorway. She held out her hand. "I'm Catherine, Trowa's sister. You must be Heero."

He shook her hand, dropping it quickly. He didn't protest when she sat down, but he didn't say anything else, either.

"Duo says you're getting along well," she said lightly, "but I'm pretty certain he wouldn't want you talking of suicide so lightly."

"Why not?" Heero asked bitterly, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He refused to meet her eye. "Why does he care about what happens to me? I'm not that important."

"Shows what you know," Catherine snorted. "I'm a girl. I can tell these things better than a boy can. He loves you. You're the most important person to him, just like my brother is to Quatre, and vice-versa. Why else would he have done this for you?" She held up her hand as Heero opened his mouth. "And don't even start with any of that 'I'm just a little slut' stuff. He doesn't care. It miffs him, sure. A lot. But it's not because you were selling your body. He's miffed at what you were _going_ through. He doesn't care what you _did_, he cares about what you were _forced_ to do. He. Loves. You. I can't state it any plainer than that. He would shoot himself for you." She paused, reflecting on what she had just said. "Okay, maybe not that, he has an issue with suicide, but still. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to you." She hugged him gently, smiling a little sadly as he stiffened under her touch. "Think on that, okay?" She stood, going to join her brother in the kitchen.

"Why?" Heero asked the now empty room. "I don't understand. Why does he care? I'm not that great." He fell back onto the bed, shifting his legs as his new jeans rubbed his legs. He still wasn't used to wearing pants, considering he had worn nothing but shorts for over nine years. Truth be told, he couldn't figure out why they all cared, especially Duo. With a sigh, he stared up at the ceiling, self-doubt and self-loathing rushing through his whole.

A quarter hour later, Duo loudly proclaimed his presence by barging into the apartment. Quatre's quiet voice could be heard in the pauses where Duo took a breath.

Duo bounced in, jumping on the bed and staring down at Heero. "It's done," he proclaimed proudly, a bright smile on his face.

"What's done?" Heero asked, raising up on one elbow and looking at the braided teen.

"Thanks to much bribery and begging, you are now in your first year of collage, starting tomorrow. We turned in your application, too, so you should get the classes you want. The semester's just starting this week, so there's a bit of confusion, but since a bunch of classes are switching, there shouldn't be any work you have to catch up on, so that's good."

"Why?" Heero asked softly. It seemed he had been asking that a lot lately. And why not? Most of his life, he had been told he was nothing more than a worthless slut, and now people were saying he was important. It confused him, to say the least.

Duo looked at him quizzically. "Why? I told you before. Because I love you!" He wrapped his arms around Heero's neck.

"Why?" he asked again, still not understanding. But now, it was the feelings he felt that he didn't understand, the tightness in his stomach, the flush that rose to his face, the giddiness. He just wanted an answer. He didn't like feeling things he couldn't control.

"I don't know, ask my heart." Duo shrugged, pulling back and leaning on his arms. "You weren't my first choice either. I hate suicidals. You've got to stop that, by the way. But after a while, I did. It sure as hell wasn't first sight, but a couple of glances later, it happened." He looked over at Heero, serious. "If you don't want me to love you, I'll pull back. It won't help me quash my feelings, but I won't, like, show it or anything. It's your choice."

Heero was almost shocked by the seriousness in Duo's tone. He had only heard it once before, on Christmas Eve in the alley. It meant that Duo meant business, and he wasn't kidding. There was no lightness in the tone, just pure seriousness.

"I don't know," he whispered, suddenly afraid. Afraid that Duo would leave. His hands started shaking. "I don't know."

Duo sighed inaudibly, standing up. "Well, you think about it, alright? Tell me what you think whenever you're ready." At the doorway, he turned. "Oh, and this is for you. I forgot to give it to you on Christmas, so here it is. Merry Christmas!" He pulled a small, ribboned box out of his pocket, lightly tossing it on the bed beside Heero. Then he left, claiming loudly that he was starving.

Slowly, Heero reached for the box. The ribbons were hastily taped on, and in absolute disarray. It was pretty much something Duo would do. Gently, his hands still shaking, he reached out and picked it up, pulling the lid off.

Nestled in a bunch of shredded cotton balls, a small blue marble lay, attached to a thin silver chain. Curling around the marble was a silver dragon, not one of the typical, bulky snarling ones, but a slender, fine winged one. A note was attached by another ribbon to the chain.

_Look Heero,_ it said in Duo's sloppy, loopy handwriting. _It matches your eyes! It's BOOTIFUL!_

Chuckling, Heero looked at it again, laying peacefully in the palm of his hand. Then, he clasped it behind his neck. The pendant fell just right in the hollow of his collarbone. He fingered the dragon-protected jewel fondly.

"Thanks, Duo," he whispered to the boy, though he wasn't there to hear it.

XXXX 

Quatre looked up as Duo flopped into a chair. "So?" the blond asked. "How did it go? Did he accept you or not? You were worried about that on the way here."

Duo sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "I don't know, Quat. He's been so hurt. To him, sex equates pain, and love is just masquerading lust. I don't even know if he believes in selfless love."

"Don't worry," the blond said brightly. "I'm sure you can convince him there is such a thing."

"Yes!" Duo shouted, raising a fist in the air. "I will win him over with my humor, charm, and amazingly good looks!"

"Don't kid yourself, boy," Catherine said, shaking her head. "You don't have any of them."

"Oh come on, Cathy." Duo pouted, his hands clasped under his chin, his eyes wide. "You've got to admit that this face is handsome."

She looked at him as if he were crazy. "No I don't." Quickly, she grabbed another cookie off the platter. "I've got to get to my job, so see you guys later." She pecked her brother on the cheek, waved goodbye to Quatre and Duo, and stalked down the hall and out of the apartment.

"Aw," Duo pouted, pushing his lip out. "I don't get a kiss?"

There a pause, and then both of the other boys shook their heads. "No, not really." Trowa turned back to the stove, and Quatre to a book. Duo just pouted.

Heero quietly stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching them with an unreadable expression on his face. Duo was the first to notice him.

"Come on in," he waved, scooting his chair to the side and pulling up another. "You don't have to be invited, Heero. Just waltz in. You live here too now, you know."

"Thanks," he said quietly, sitting down. After a moment of hesitation, he pushed the little, ribbon-clad box towards Duo. "I…got you something too. I couldn't wrap it, so I just used your box. Sorry."

Duo's eyes lit up. "You got me a present! That's so sweet!" He opened the box, and squealed happily at the necklace. It was a pale blue cat with glittering sapphire eyes on an adjustable silver chain. Duo put it on. "This is perfect! How did you know I loved cats?"

Heero blushed. "Quatre told me. I couldn't find anything, so I asked for his help." His blush was steadily deepening.

"It's wonderful!" Duo cried happily, throwing his arms around Heero and giving him a big hug. "I love it!" He pulled back, giving Heero a quick peck on the cheek, then looked at Trowa. "What's for dinner?"

"What do you mean, what's for dinner?" Trowa asked. "I fed you last night, and the night before. Can't you supply your own meals once in a while?"

"Don't tell me there's not a full meal waiting in that fridge. You always have something ready in case Quat comes over. Don't try to hold back your food from us."

Quatre ignored their bickering, watching Heero. The man appeared to be in shock from the kiss, even though it was just a peck on the cheek. The blond smiled.

'_You were Duo's Christmas wish, Heero. And Duo was you Christmas Miracle. I hope you two stay together for a long, long time.'_

**OOOO**

So, what did you think? Personally, I liked it, but hey, I'm biased. Please, review and tell me. Anyway, I hate J with a passion, which is why he's in such a horrible position in this story. I hope everyone likes it.


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